Tales From the Other Side of Eternity!
by The Righterzpen
Summary: Here's the collection of all my former "one shots". All gathered here for your loves and laughs. Join the angels, saints and of course all our's TRUELY for more stories of intrigue, mystery and fun! R&R if you feel like it; but most important! Pen On writers!
1. Triune Committee Meeting

Had a brain storm this morning and decided to write down this little ditty.

Disclaimer - I don't own God. This story is of my own imagination and all quoted Scripture verses are in the public domain!

R&R if you feel like it.

* * *

Committee of Internal Affairs

Mission Briefing: The Universe

Father - "Alright folks, got an idea. Let's make a universe!"

Spirit - "Well Boss, you know we're in."

Son - "Yes, of course we are! We gotta come up with a plan though. Anything we create is going to be plagued by this (currently theoretical) opposite of us."

Father - "Yes, as soon as we act this evil is going to become a reality and all we create will be destroyed by it."

Spirit - "Not if we become part of it, because we're eternal and evil isn't."

Son - "Yes, true! We need a representative figure head of us though. One who's capable of being corrupted, so he can be….. REDEEMED!"

Spirit - "Yes, who's redemption would also free the rest of the creation from the curse brought upon it from his disobedience."

Son - "His disobedience because he is created in our image. Yes! ….. Let's call him Adam."

Father - "Brilliant my little minions!" (Laughs) "Good plan fellas."

Son - "Adam can't be a single entity though. Not being eternal, death will eventually get him. He'll need the capacity to create other beings like himself."

Spirit - "All living things we create are going to need that capacity."

Son - "So we'll create an Adam and an Eve and…. other things. Man, animals and…"

Spirit - "Plants. They all need something to eat. Not being eternal, they are not internally sufficient to sustain themselves."

Father - "I LIKE it!"

Spirit - "Me too. Jesus, which one of us should enter the universe."

Son - "Both of us will, but I will be the incarnated one, since Adam is created in my image."

(Pause)

Spirit - "Jesus….. I know you know what that means."

Son - "Yes, I'll be cut off from both of you."

Father - "You will overcome though. Evil is not eternal and you as the whole of Divine personage are greater than the wrath that results of our need for justice."

(Pause)

Spirit - "Wow….. that's brilliant Boss."

(Pause)

Father - "I esteem both of you much of this credit though. You know this is up to you Jesus. It's your choice to do this, not mine."

Son - "I'll do it."

Spirit - "Wow….. give me a minute to absorb this."

Son - "Me too."

Father - "Me three…. You are courageous my son. The perfect example of Divine love."

Son - "Well, I'm just like you. Would you expect any less?"

Father - "Of course not! I love you."

Spirit - "Hugs! Hugs all around!"

* * *

("And there is silence in heaven for about the space of a half hour.")

(Jesus cries, the Father looks away and the Spirit waits)

("for Christ was the lamb slain from the foundations of the world.")

* * *

Spirit - "So what now? What do you want me to to do?"

Father - "Your job will be to enact up on the atonement that he just procured."

Spirit - "Whom shall be the recipients?"

Son - "I know. I've written their names down in the book."

Spirit - "None are worthy though. What do I say if they ask how you decided?"

Son - "Tell them I am the potter and they are the clay."

Father - "Yes, it is Divine prerogative to make one lump of clay unto honor and leave another to reap the wages of their own sin."

Spirit - "Yes, our being 'fair' would mean they all would perish because of their disobedience."

Son - "But it is of greater honor to the name of God when those who are redeemed see grace bestowed upon them, when they know they don't deserve it."

Father - "And also greater esteem to my son when they realize no greater love has a man than he lay down his life for friend and not only a friend; but that friend who was once an enemy!"

Son - "For when they were yet dead in their trespass and sin, Christ died for the ungodly!"

Spirit - "Brilliant Boss! Brilliant!"

* * *

(And the rest was in the details)

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…" Genesis 1:1


	2. Lucy Gabriel and God

"**Lucy", Gabriel, God and Please Tell me the Time**

_Here is another "little drabble one shot" on "off the cuff conversations with Christ". The angels in heaven still don't know the time of the end; but that doesn't quench Gabriel's curiosity. _

* * *

Gabriel stood proudly outside the entrance to the throne room and watched as the majestic doors swung open to welcome him in. Much to his surprise it was void of both any one, as well as any ONE; seeing how usually when senior angels were called upon, there were at least a few who converged upon the presence of the Lord simultaneously.

Gabriel strode in, gazing upon the empty throne wondering where his King was. Of course it was not like God to be late; (how can One who's omnipresent be late for anything)? Gabriel chuckled to himself.

"Gabe!" An informal salutation echoed through the empty chamber.

"Lord?" Gabriel questioned, as though the voice sounded familiar; he was not usually met with such unofficial greetings.

"In here." The voice replied, as another large door which stood to the right of the throne swiveled open of just a crack large enough for Gabriel to squeeze through. How exciting! Gabriel giggled with quiet delight, for it was not often he was asked into the King's very own Holy of Holies.

What grand message does His Majesty hold for us? Gabriel's curiosity began to grow. Was it time for "Operation End Game"? Gabe wondered. Though he had been briefed on parts of the plan and he was throughly convinced of: 'Woe to them that desire the Day of the Lord'. Gabriel still yearned to see the new world; wherein dwelt righteousness with no possibility of being corrupted. The wonder of such pondering almost bought tears to his eyes; even though angels can't technically cry. Gabe giggled to himself.

Gabriel sucked in an awestruck breath as his eyes wandered around the vast space that seemed endlessly magnificent and rich with purest light. From the center of such light came a form toward him.

"Good day Your Majesty." Gabriel bowed.

"Good day faithful servant of the highest angelic order." Jesus smiled. "At ease soldier."

Gabriel stood strait as an arrow; always happy to hear those words, as he was always happier to see his King. He grinned big.

"I have a mission for you to pick an angel for." Jesus announced in a radiance that subsided itself so that Gabriel could now actually "hear" what he was about to be commanded.

"Yes Sir." Gabriel smiled as he contentedly gazed at the loveliest face in all the Kingdom.

"Ah, one of my most faithful angels." Jesus laughed a bit as He reached out to touch Gabriel's shoulder. Gabriel felt himself glow brighter in the reflection of such greatness as Jesus gave him an affectionate slap on the back. "You've so surpassed any thought I would have supposed to expect of 'ol…. Lucy." Jesus smirked as Gabriel let out a bit of a snicker. The King was being a bit silly this morning.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He seems to have gone that much more… off the rails?" Gabriel suggested as he flashed a peculiar look. "Sign of the times… I suppose?"

Jesus flashed a return 'on the sly' at Gabriel's 'sign of the times' inquiry, shook a finger at Gabe and then let out a chuckle.

"Well, inquisitive minds want to know." Gabriel sheepishly shrugged.

"And thy patients at finding out will be well rewarded." The King sighed as He gave Gabriel a reassuring tussle. "As opposed to…." He rolled His eyes.

"Lucy who's lost it!" Gabriel finished his Lord's sentence.

"Yeah…" Jesus finally nodded and folded His arms knowingly. "Now experimenting in transgenderism of beings not even created with gender." The King raised an eyebrow and cringed.

"Well Sir, it is pride month." Gabriel tried not to laugh.

"And guess who's leading the parade." Jesus quipped as He threw His hands up without missing a beat.

"I'd always perceived Lucy did think he was a little too pretty Sir." Gabriel confirmed with a subdued giggle.

"Yeah well, at least that close to inception he did trip; ….. and descend… at about the speed of light!" The King shook a finger of recollection in the air. "All the best laid plans of mice, men and…free falling angels you know." Jesus paused a moment.

"Just like their World Trade Center Sir." Gabriel amended.

"Yes, exactly like their economic Tower of Babel." The King pointed at Gabe. "There's nothing new under the sun; you know."

"Yes Sir; I know." Gabriel answered.

"And speaking of pride month." The King retreated to a former thought. "Thus your assignment; pick an angel for a particular saint."

"Aint turned saint Sir?" Gabriel inquired with an approving smile.

"Yes, but not yet." Jesus explained as He turned to walk toward the shining radiance. He waved His hand to subdue such abundance of glory, as He leaned over a table that seemed to appear from nothingness and gazed into a book. "This one." He pointed as He motioned Gabriel to come hither. "It's his time of awakening."

"Assuming the Spirit is not yet deployed into his heart Sir; I'm guessing You want us to protect him?" Gabriel remarked as he hurried over and peered into where Jesus was pointing.

"Yes." His Lord answered. "I'm sending you down to the Club; Demon Whacker." He chuckled a bit. "There's plenty soon coming out of this one."

"You don't want us to send Homer?" Gabriel inquired. "He very much enjoys batting them out of the park."

"Homer doesn't want to leave his current team." Jesus answered. "Tyrone is about to slide into plate and Homer doesn't want to miss the victory lap."

"Oh?" Gabriel puzzled a moment. "He never told me that Sir."

"Well, you know now!" Jesus turned and grinned; while it took Gabriel a moment.

"Ah!" The angel finally started to laugh. "After how many millennia and I'm still a bit slow on the uptake?" He paused a moment before pointing to his King. "Omniscience!"

"Smart angel, some wise crackin' Creator made!" Jesus smirked.

"Yes Sir." Gabriel giggled in response. "Holy humor; of what is the Father's doing."

"What _**isn't **_the Father doing?" Jesus wisecracked back. "Does my Father never do nothing?"

Gabriel stood and pondered this a moment.

"Omnipotence always appeared to me to make Your life easier than mine." Gabriel shrugged a good natured, yet honest confession.

"Takes all the fun out of guessing huh?" Jesus grinned.

"You remembered Sir!" Gabriel grinned back.

"I've always known." Jesus smirked in side comment.

"Doof!" Gabriel slapped his hand to his face as Jesus quietly giggled. "Got me again Your Royal Highness. I walked into that one; didn't I."

"Happens when your not omnipresent." His King smirked again, while Gabriel chuckled an eye rolling groan. "But don't fret; I like you Gabe." Jesus snickered as He lent another good natured whack. "That other Michael guy is so serious!" He waved the following comment away.

"He who most assuredly is God." Gabriel tried not to laugh as he contemplated the meaning of his own name - God man. "After all Sir, You did name us after Theophanies of Yourself." He muttered jokingly and lent an exaggerated cough.

"Give you something to have to live up too!" Jesus cracked a good natured retort. "After all, I wasn't going to name you morning star; now was I?"

"No Sir; Thank You!" Gabriel looked up at his King with a relieved sigh before he turned his attention back to the large book. "Talk about complexes!" He shook his head.

"Not feeling girly huh?" Jesus poised His comeback.

"Nope." Gabriel started to giggle as he hit a sudden stroke of literary genius. "Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses."

"Ahhh! Good one!" Jesus roared with laughter. "And it wasn't even pride month!"

Gabriel peered with unsure, yet excited anticipation at his King.

"Tell that fox, behold today I cast out devils and do cures today and tomorrow; and and the third day shall be perfected. Does that mean, as within the past so we are getting close to the future?" Gabriel egarly inquired.

"I can't tell you that!" Jesus gaped at Gabriel's less than subtle question. "Besides, it would take all the fun out of my jokes." He commented. "In a perfected universe, it won't be funny any more, because you'll get all my jokes."

"But I'll never be omniscient Sir." Gabriel flashed his King a puzzled look.

"Ahh, so you'll get them all again." Jesus laughed with wink as He pointed at Gabriel. "Got ya!" He turned and muttered to Himself. "Can't pull that one on You or You." He giggled to Himself.

"The Father and the Spirit Sir?" Gabriel pondered a moment. "Yeah, I guess They'd know all the punch lines; would't They?"

"Before I even think them up!" Jesus amended. "I love having a creation." He chuckled as He carelessly reached out and gave Gabriel a friendly squeeze. "Now, as for your assignment…" The King went on to task Gabriel with his orders.

"Your Majesty Sir?" Gabriel paused a moment before he departed, orders in hand. "Can I ask…." His voice trailed off.

"Every passing day we are closer." Jesus answered. "Fret not, before you realize it; it will be here and old things will have passed."

"Thank You Sir." Gabriel sucked in a pained sigh. "For all the tragedy that occurs daily in this universe."

"It won't compare to the glory that is to come." The King assured him. "Remember the promise; for you know it's a done deal!"

"Yes." Gabriel smiled. "Soon no more Lucy on the loose."

"They all know it's coming." The King nodded with a chuckle before He commanded. "Dismissed angel. We still got work to do."

"Yes Sir!" Gabriel saluted as he turned and departed.

* * *

_**For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.**_

_**And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.**_

_**Romans 8:22-23**_


	3. People you Meet in the New Heavens

**The People You Meet in…. the New Heavens and New Earth**

_Here's another "little drabble one shot" of "tales from the other side of eternity". What happens when you get a bunch of veterans together sharing stories of wars that were thousands of years apart? _

* * *

"Hey Yuri wait up." Frankie called to his straggling companion, who was meandering slowly down the ruddy golden path that lead into the New Jerusalem. Yuri was following another group of friends, albite not to diligently.

"Oh, Hi Frankie." Yuri grinned as he wielded around and began walking backwards, while the rest of the group paused a moment to see who was coming.

"Hey!" They all waved.

"What you guys up to today?" Frankie offered as he broke into a light jog, while the others waited.

"Oh we're all headed in different directions tonight." Yuri chortled as he presented a hand toward his array of friends; some of whom were apparently dressed for participation in sporting events, while others looked as if they were headed to the opera.

A round of cheery "hello's" ensued.

"You know Nash, Mustafa, Mambte, and Gentle Dove." Yuri continued. "Well, that's Carlos, Tamika, Haywan and Julian, but he prefers to be called Ice." Yuri grinned an aside, as he made a subtle hint toward Julian.

"Ice?" Frankie made a funny face.

"He likes to climb frozen things." One of the friends broke in. "But of course if you are going to scale a big mountain like Everest; you have to wear proper attire." He began to laugh. "When I took Mustafa to climb with Ice and we came in shorts and sandals. He says to me. Brother Mambte; man you ruining the ambiance." Mambte exclaimed as he struck a pose in likeness of a classic Greek statue. "But Ice, I don't know what ice is!" He grinned real big, trying not to laugh. "I lived in Ethiopia back in the days of King David. You think I ever seen snow before?"

"Hey, I was in Tiberius's army." Ice shrugged innocently. "We climbed a lot of icy things, just we didn't have neoprene and Thinsulate." He shuttered.

"Oh!" Frankie began to nod knowingly. "So you're one of the brothers from the ancient world who got sucked into the technology of the latter age." He started to chuckle. "You ever go over to AI island and listen to the robots and computers engage in an all out 'Yo Momma' insult smack down?" He grinned.

"Computer told the robot with the tiny head; 'Yo momma's chips too small to take over the world.' Robot said; 'How's yo momma know, when she aint got a leg to stand on?'"

Several of Frankie's friends groaned.

"Computer comes back with. 'My momma don't want to take over the world, 'cause she's got all she needs in the cloud."

_Those of the era that 'got it' laughed. _

"Robot didn't have a come back?" Carlos inquired.

"No it did." Frankie chuckled. "Threw an apple at the computer."

"Don't tell me." Nash broke in. "It was a macintosh."

_And again, those of the era that 'got it' laughed while some of the others just helplessly shrugged. _

"After my time." Mustafa made a funny face.

"Mine too." Gentle Dove added. "I was born in 1609 A.D."

"Ahhh!" Mustafa pointed at her. "I knew you were older than me!" He laughed as he proudly folded his arms. "But I can say that I remember World War One."

"World War One?" Frankie interjected. "I wonder if you fought my great great great grandson?"

"Speaking of World Wars; where's Johan?" Nash interjected.

"Oh he's over in the dog park, having a war horse reunion!" Haywan answered.

"War horse? I thought they stopped using horses by then?" Nash flashed a peculiar attempted recollection of the Battle of the Bulge.

"Eastern Front." Yuri answered. "Mostly hauled supplies after the Wehrmacht got stuck in the mud; or rather the Waffen SS, or at least those were the guys closest to my unit." Yuri shrugged. "Horses and German Shepherds were both employed."

"Oh Yeah, Johan loves his shepherds." Frankie chuckled.

"Except the German Shepherd's were ours!" Yuri started to laugh. "They were suppose to run under the Panzers and blow up the tanks; because, you know the only way you could really kill a tiger was from underneath it." Yuri went on to explain. "Except…. stupid Shtrafbat NCO's told us to train them using our tanks, so…." He shrugged, assuming the rest could figure the end result all on their own.

_Ehh Huhhhh. Everyone began the universal head bob. _

"I actually remember watching that." Frankie snickered.

"Weren't you in like the War of 1812?" Mustafa shot Frankie an inquisitive look. "How did you watch that?"

"I was the first saint Yuri saw after….. Stalin's big embarrassment." Frankie answered proudly.

"Yeah!" Yuri began to whistle as he folded his arms behind him, peered away from the crowd in feigned cluelessness. "No one was suppose to know about that."

"But you knew?" Mustafa made a face.

"He was in the tank!" Frankie began to laugh.

"OH MAN!" Ice exclaimed as he mumbled to himself. "At least mine wasn't a friendly."

"But…. she was still German!" Yuri shot back and started laughing.

"Not after they took over Britannia!" Ice retorted without missing a beat. "But she was a bad…. Angle archer; what can I say!" He shrugged.

"Is that why you hated the English?" Frankie laughed.

"What English?" Ice shot him a stupid look. "She was Saxon, not English."

"Not yet!" Mambte smirked.

"Exactly!" Ice exclaimed smuggley. "Thank you for making my point."

"Who thus after my century morphed into Americans." Gentle Dove added in side comment.

"I remember that too!" Frankie chortled before making a face. "I was actually alive when that happened. Well, for a couple of years at least?" He muttered under his breath. "Worthless Charleville!"

"Bess got ya huh?" Mustafa nodded with a goofy grin.

"She sure did!" Frankie sighed and shook his head.

"1752?" Mustafa raised an eyebrow of inquiry.

"India pattern!" Frankie gapped.

"No Harper's Ferry 1803 model?" Mustafa inquired again; before he burst out laughing. "Or…. Springfield?"

"Shut up!" Frankie huffed a bit as he gave Mustafa a shove.

Haywan and Gentle Dove just looked blankly at each other while Mambte peered at Yuri.

"The newly formed United States of America pulled a Soviet Union on him." Yuri began to explain in his best philosophical political scientist monotone monologue. "They basically took a 1763 French musket and slapped the name Springfield on it." He giggled.

"Yeah!" Frankie bellowed.

"Damn commies." Yuri quietly snickered.

"Yeah!" Frankie bellowed again, as all began to giggle.

"Hey, speaking of damned?" Tamika broke in. "Did George ever get that demon?"

"You mean the one that tormented him all the way through the bombing of Dresden?" Yuri answered. "I don't think so, because last time I saw him, he was still down there skipping rocks off the lake of fire." He paused a bit for effect.

"He did get Lucy though!" Yuri enthusiastically rubbed his hands together. "Wish I'd seen that one!"

"He got Lucy!" Mambte exclaimed. "He da man!"

"So George was in Germany during Dresden?" Frankie grew saucer eyes.

"Yeah, he was a POW of the Luftwaffe." Yuri answered. "He was an RAF pilot. Bailed over Germany about the middle of the war."

"He survived the war though didn't he?" Frankie inquired.

"Yeah, almost not, because of Dresden though." Yuri answered. "Said he'd lost all respect for Winston after that one."

"Fascinating." Ice nodded.

"Yep!" Yuri concluded. "The enemy in any war is never determined by what uniform he's got on!"

"Aint that the truth!" Carlos agreed.

"So… who wants to see a movie?" Frankie announced a distracted inquiry, as he peered down the street toward a large building that housed a theater.

"What's playing?" Tamika thumbed her chin.

"Lives of the saints episode number 20,356." Frankie lent and non committal answer.

"Anybody I know?" Carlos snickered while everyone peered at him and commenced another round of universal head bobs.

"Hey I'm game!" Yuri tossed his hands in the air. "After all, you watched mine." He laughed as he smacked Carlos on the back.

"But your life was far more interesting." Carlos muttered to himself. "I spend 3/4th of mine in a monastery."

"Always wondered what a monk did all day?" Yuri lent an enthusiastic response as he headed off in the direction of the theater.

"He prayed for the likes of you!" Frankie laughed as he followed. "Ya damned commie!"

_And so thus the evening was decided…. at least for Carlos, Frankie and…. the damned commie._

* * *

_**After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;**_

_**Revelation 7:9**_


	4. Michael's got Game

**Michael's got Game**

_Oh no; Gabriel has found his way into the vault of history! What happens when Gabriel tries... golf!_

* * *

"Mike, Mike... Hey" Gabriel whispered excitedly as he scurried up to his fellow archangel. "Look what I found." He grinned as he bounced a golf ball in his hand.

Michael flashed him a perplexed inquiry. "What is it?"

"A game that will be invented a couple thousand years from now." Gabriel giggled as he dropped the ball on to the ground and took a swing at it with a wooden club fashioned to long sleek grey stick. "Ooopse." Gabe chuckled sheepishly. "I've been practicing but... aint quite..." He swung again and looked down at the ball still sitting there... 'laughing' at him. Gabriel took a concentrated stance and tried for a third time.

"GOT IT!" He exclaimed as the ball went wizzing past the eternal river and bounced off the Tree of Life. Gabriel and Michael watched in anticipation, as the little white screamer continued off into the distance. Just beyond the Lord's royal palace; it went flying through the door.

"AAAAHHHHH" The angels heard a bellow as they both grimaced and went running off to see what they havoc they've caused.

They stoped short just inside the King's door, as the golf ball came bouncing down the stairs of HIS MAJESTY'S throne room.

"Got it?" Michael peered over Gabriel and frowned as he ascended the steps.

"Got it?" Gabriel cowers "or...ehh?"

"Him." Michael confirms.

"HIM?" Gabriel grew saucer eyes.

"No, not HIM; him." Michael amended as Gabriel hurried up the stairs, amply prepared with an apology.

Standing before them with folded arms, trying not to laugh is their KING!

The angels' eyes drift from the Lord to the floor before.. HIM.

"Impeccable timing!" Jesus made a face and then let out a little snicker. "He was just about to complain about My servant Job."

"Again!" Michael shook his head. "Why doesn't he leave that poor guy alone?"

"Well it probably doesn't occur to him; seeing how I keep bringing it up." Jesus answered with a tad of a smirk and head shake of disbelief.

"Lucy never was too bright on the up-swing." Gabriel grinned in his own smirk of disbelief.

"No, but I see you're practicing though; huh?" Jesus gestured at Gabriel without missing a beat.

"Well... I guess I need more, Your Majesty." Gabe admittedly shrugged.

"Well no, I quite think that was a hole in one." Jesus chuckled followed by a side comment. "I'm waiting for you to take up baseball."

"Well Sir." Michael amended. "You did give him the key to the vault of history."

"That I did!" Jesus acknowledged. "And it's proven to be quite the comic endeavor around here!" The King sighed as He shook His head one last time. "Even though I hate to have to keep doing this." He amended as He peered down at Lucy and snickered. "Satan! Get up!" The Lord commanded with a snap of His fingers and Lucy is back on his feet.

"NO!" Lucy yelled. "I hate it when You do that!"

"Keeps reminding you who's in charge huh?" Michael posed a stern rebuke.

Lucy only turned and snarled at the other angels.

"And you were saying?" The Lord inquired of Lucy.

"Ah, yes!" Lucy suddenly... remembered. "Your servant Bob!"

"Bob?" Gabriel burst out laughing.

"Who's Bob?" Michael flashed Gabe a perplexed inquiry.

"I don't know?" Gabriel shrugged while trying to control his mirth.

"Does He even have a servant named Bob?" Michael raised an inquisitive eye.

"I don't know?" Gabriel answered.

"Do You have a servant named Bob?" Michael whispered toward his Lord.

"I have more than one servant named Bob." Jesus whispered back.

"What, his name isn't Bob?" Lucy swung around and glared at the King.

"No." Jesus answered.

"It's Job you dumb..." Michael slapped Gabriel before he completed his sentence.

"Donkey butt." Gabe amended in whisper.

"Yeah OK. Job, Bob; whatever." Lucy waved the comment away. "All the same to me."

"Well yes, discernment has always been a problem of yours hasn't it?" The King nodded knowingly.

Lucy swung around and stoped short; trying to control his distain.

"Well does he fear You for nothing?" Lucy suddenly burst out in aggravation. "Haven't You made a hedge around him, his house and all that he has?" He paused a moment. "On every side!... Ya know?" He glared at the Lord waving angry hands in His direction. "You have blessed everything he does and his investments just... keep growing!" Lucy continued to accuse. "BUT... But... You just stretch out Your hand... like right now.." Lucy stomped.

"As in raising your ungrateful dumb.." Michael smacked Gabriel again. "donkey butt." He whispered.

Satan swung around and hissed at Gabe before turning back to the King.

"Touch all that he has and he will curse You to Your face!" Lucy garbled out a few curses as he shot Michael a sideways glare.

"Very well." The Lord took up the challenge. "Every thing he has, I.. will ALLOW you.." The King paused to emphasize His point. "To have in your power. But only he, himself you can not touch."

Lucy scowled at the Lord before he swung around and shoved Gabriel and Micael out of his way.

Gabriel raised his club to take a swing, while Michael reached out to steady him.

Gabriel peered at Michael and sucked in a deep breath as he let the club drop to his side.

"I'm only stopping you because I want first crack." Michael whispered.

"First crack ehh?" Gabriel frowned.

"Nope fellas." The Lord put a hand on both of their shoulders as He peered between them. "First crack is Mine!"

Gabe instinctively handed the King the driver.

Jesus let out a snicker as He took the club from the angel and descended the stairs to retrieve the ball. He then turned around and gestured to Michael. Michael grew saucer eyes as he pointed to himself. Jesus nodded. Michael grinned grandly as he descended the stairs. Jesus took a couple of steps and dropped the ball right at the doors' royal entrance; then held the club out to Michael. Michael smiled at His King as he positioned himself and took a swing. A smart crack rang through the air as the ball went sailing.

"AAHHHHH!" A familiar voice hissed again.

"FOUR!" Gabe yelled.

"You're not funny!" The voice yelled back.

The angels just stood snickering as the Lord nudged Gabe and pointed to his companion.

"Mike's got game." He nodded with a wink. "But wait." He held up a hand. "Round two is coming."

* * *

_**I****_n all _this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job 1:22**_


	5. Gabe and the Babe

**Gabe and the Babe**

_Merry Christmas Gabriel!_

Gabriel strolled down traveler's road in the New Jerusalem as he observed the colors applied to the ever expanding creation project of this city. He paused a moment at a familiar location: _**Angelic Vacations**_. Gabriel smiled fondly as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The business was currently void of any customers.

"Gabriel! General Sir!" an enthusiastic Captain popped up from behind his desk.

"Good day Captain Sarriao." Gabriel greeted him with a genteel nod.

"Sir, are you going on leave. You know I'm alway happy to help you choose the perfect spot in the universe to go explore." The excited Captain grinned big.

"Well, I haven't asked for any leave lately." Gabriel responded. "But how about you? Where in this universe have you not been to yet?"

The Captain began to laugh. "I don't think there's a cranny of interstellar space I'm not familiar with; or at least in terms of how to get there sir."

"Yes, you have been a faithful pilot, transporting all sorts of saints, angels and creatures around the cosmos." Gabriel smiled. "But where would _you_ like to go?"

Captain Sarriao perked up. "You mean I'm getting leave?" He let out a happy hearty laugh.

"You know I've always told you to let me know when you wanted it." Gabriel replied. "You spend a lot of time here."

"Well, it is my service to the King." Captain Sarriao smiled. "And besides, I love my job."

"Yes, I know; but I think the last time you asked for leave was….. 2000 plus years ago?" Gabriel chuckled.

"Well, I wanted to make sure I could be present for the King's birth!" Captain Sarriao confessed in all honesty.

"But you didn't need to take leave for that." Gabriel laughed. "It was a universal holiday. Everything was closed anyways."

"Yeah, I know." Captain Sarriao sighed. "But it was a very busy time. I had creatures from the furthest planets trying to find transport. I didn't want to let any of them down."

"The heart of a true servant." Gabriel smiled contentedly and then sighed in side comment. "You have a tough job. I don't envy you."

"Oh!" The Captain suddenly exclaimed as he heard the bell in the back room whistle. "Would you like some Corranttah tea? Verianka just brought it back from Putayore."

"Oh, sure." Gabriel accepted. "I've never tried it. The seraphim rave about it all the time."

"Yes, Sir. It's interesting." The Captain hurried off into his back room before returning with two mugs. "The Flenta on planet Ponjor actually use it to fuel their ships." He giggled.

"Yes, so I've heard." Gabriel commented. "It's not really a carbon based substance. The Rochahbor are always teasing the Junra about how the cherubim use it to wax their wings." Gabriel started to laugh.

"Well, I've heard it does make them fly faster." The Captain giggled as he handed Gabriel a mug.

"Nothing but old angel tails." Gabriel laughed.

Captain Sarriao flashed Gabriel a suspicious look. "Is that true, or another one of the King's jokes?"

"No." Gabriel snickered. "Most of His jokes are about omniscience. He pulls them all on me, because as you know…"

"Yes, the Father and the Spirit know all the liners before He even thinks them up." Captain Sarriao snickered.

"Yes well, and I think He genuinely enjoys catching me with them." Gabriel laughed. "I though have managed to pull some clever comebacks. Yet of all the wisdom I've ever managed to learn from the Divine; never imagined that would entail how to tell jokes."

"But you've managed well sir; because the ones you've relayed to me." Captain Sarriao shrugged helplessly. "I don't even get."

"Well, He has certainly advanced my ability to not even have a box to think in." Gabriel chuckled contemplatively. "The one thing I love about our endlessly creative God. He possesses no limit to anything!" Gabriel paused a moment to ponder that reality. "I can't imagine what that must be like?"

"Well?" the Captain sighed. "I can't either; but do come on in and have a seat." He changed directions as he welcomed Gabriel into the back room. "I'm always so happy to see you." He turned as he opened the door and the bright glory from the ever winding River of Life shined through his picture window.

"Prime real estate you've got here." Gabriel smiled as he walked into the back room and peered out over the majestic scenery.

"Please do sit down." Captain Sarriao offered his most comfortable chair. "And please tell again your story of the King."

Gabriel positioned the chair while they both turned toward the window. The angelic general pondered a bit as he made himself comfortable and thought about all the leadings on unto the one and only time he actually got to touch his King. What an awe striking unexpected moment that was!

Gabriel commenced his recollection:

* * *

HE…. was nearly 5 years old and Gabriel had been sent to tell Joseph it was time to leave Egypt. Herod who sought to kill the Child was dead!

"Gabriel!" Jesus called as He came running from the other room; having escaped his mother's attention for a moment.

Joseph quickly jumped up and whirled around, as this nearly Stranger's Child whisked past him and jumped toward the angel. Gabriel caught Him with wide eyed surprise.

Jesus wrapped His little arms around Gabriel's neck and hugged him. "Father showed me; you asked long ago: What is it like to create things. You were there. Hold me, the seed of Eve." Little Jesus happily squeezed Gabriel.

Gabriel's joy bubbled with profound awe as he snuggled this little human in his arms. Only two other times in his entire existence had he ever touched a man outside of the awesome display of power that surged through him upon God's commands to destroy the wicked. He'd touched Adam and he'd touched Mary. And now here he was, as he looked at this giggly child, with soft curly hair and big brown eyes.

"You…. sort of do look like a mini Adam." Gabriel whispered as he stroked his fingers though the Child's hair and felt His little hands on his face. Gabriel giggled as he kissed His little fingers and held His hand.

How amazing this all was. Gabriel sucked in his pure fascination. He could feel the little bones, His skin, muscles and even see the veins that ran up the Child's arms. YOU… have become tangible life. Gabriel's thoughts raced by him as he looked upon this very…. human face. He was real. He had… mass and weight and…. wet little kisses as He playfully gnawed on Gabriel's finger. Gabriel laughed as he hugged the Child back. He could feel His little heart beat and the breath of life surging through this little body.

Gabriel paused a moment and looked at Jesus. "Is it really… YOU?" He whispered. You who I've bowed before in countless ages, engulfed by majesty I couldn't even see. And now You are… a very different…. Adam.

"Not so different." Jesus resounded to Gabriel's thoughts.

"What?" Gabriel's attention suddenly turned to his King.

"I gotta go potty." Jesus whispered.

"Oh… yeah." Gabriel giggled as he set the Child down and God Incarnate went scampering off outside to some dust pile to…. go potty.

Little Jesus danced around in His struggle to keep His clothing out of the way. Not exactly successful; He pulled His garment over His head and scurried back into the back door.

Wow, exactly like Adam. Gabriel's careless thoughts drifted past him as he tried to reconcile the majesty of Eternal God with this naked 5 year old running back into the house.

"Mommy…. mommy." Jesus called as He held the soiled item in front of Him.

"There's a clean one in that basket." Mary instructed as she was leaning over a cradle to retrieve a fussing infant. Mary gasped at the sight of Gabriel as she stood with the also now silent baby dangling in her hands.

"Mommy, that's Gabriel." Jesus answered as He was halfway headlong into the nearest laundry basket spewing garments out onto the floor.

Mary didn't answer.

Little Jesus rolled back out of the laundry basket with the selected sought after item dangling from one hand, as He stood up and looked at Gabriel.

"You asked long ago what it is like to be life." Jesus spoke to Gabriel as He came wandering over flipping the article of clothing around searching for the proper head and arm holes. "I feel all, as in alive, but not all as in everything all the time holding in my presence." Little Jesus sighed as His arms dropped to His side and He looked up at Gabriel.

"Angels long to see this they don't understand." Little Jesus went on. "How is redemption come to men?" He continued. "My Father say: I explain more when you ready Jesus. But without shedding of blood is no remission of sin. Something of this covenant." Jesus commented as He pulled His garment up and looked down at His body. The seed of Abraham to bless many nations." Jesus looked up at Gabriel. "I know I am a sacrifice; like Abraham told Issac." He paused another moment as He looked down at His body again. "Father not tell me how. He say: I tell you when you get older Jesus."

"Well…?" Gabriel shrugged helplessly. "I don't understand either." He admitted. "I'm not even… made like you."

"Yeah, I know; angels don't even have these." Jesus shrugged as He examined His anatomy a moment and looked up at Gabriel. "But in Abraham's seed; you too are delivered from Adam's death."

"Yes! Thank You!" Gabriel suddenly fell on his knees before the Child. "I've prayed dear Lord to never let me fall. Destroy me utterly outright if I even imagine disobeying You. I'd rather not exist than face the same end as Lucifer."

"You've been given great wisdom; and not only knowledge. Pride always goes before a fall." Little Jesus giggled as He ran up and hugged Gabriel. "Come here." He waved to Mary and Joseph. "Touch him. He is not like you." Jesus pointed. "You fear an angel?" He cocked His head at Joseph. "Yet you will judge him!" He pointed at Gabriel.

Joseph sucked in a breath; glance over at Mary and gingerly crept up to the angel.

Mary still stood motionless; although she had managed to swaddle her second child in her arms; who was now searching through her clothing for a pap to drink from.

Joseph reached out and touched Gabriel's arm. He was not warm or cold; but more such as if one could grasp room temperature air. A solid form; yet with no heartbeat and no signs of…. life. Joseph looked at Gabriel and then down at Jesus. "How can this be?" He muttered in silent whisper to himself as he instinctively reached down; and just as he had countless times before, picked up little Jesus.

"You are….. God's son." Joseph stood suddenly dumbstruck.

"You know this papa." Jesus giggled.

"I know it again." Joseph whispered.

Jesus giggled some more as He crawled over Joseph's back while Joseph fumbled with attempting to keep the Child from falling onto the floor. At one point he held Jesus by one leg as the Child dangled upside down reaching toward the ground. Joseph let go of His foot once he was sure His hands were on the floor. Jesus flopped over onto His backside, as He peered up at the angel and Joseph. Then He sprung up and ran toward Mary.

"Come see Gabriel." Jesus offered; yet Mary seemed too mortified to move. Jesus looked up at her holding her second born, before He turned back toward Gabriel.

"Mommy tells me no Jesus. That's baby food." Little Jesus laughed as He pointed to Mary nursing her child. "You big boy now." He grinned as He swung around in a jovial circle.

"You want to know what it's like to be life?" Jesus suddenly scampered up to Gabriel. "I'm hungry. I'm tired. I….I" He pulled His garment up and looked at His body once more. "I pee myself." He shrugged as He looked back up at Gabriel.

"I now know want of need." The Child folded His arms up over His head and spun around; looking considerably at everything and everyone else in the room. "Even them." He bent down and scooped up a couple of gnats and a hand full of sand fleas that had blown in with the dusty grit. "But God saw all He made and it was very good!" He cocked His head and sent the sand and bugs fluttering though His fingers, as He held His arms up and waved them around, sort of like a bird.

"What is it You'd have for us?" Gabriel knelt down in honest inquiry. "I know those… sons of God; who are now fallen, beseeching men to help them know things we are not meant to know. We have no need to try and raise up our own race. You did not create us for that. You will redeem this fallen fleshly world. Flesh and bone just like You are right now. But what do we do? What is our place in all this?"

"The glory to come can not be compared to this life." Little Jesus nearly blurted out. "Father told me to tell you that." He smiled. "You will know this glory too; but it is time for you to go now."

Gabriel obediently stood up; as his King giggled, swung back and forth allowing His little arms to fling around His body before He turned around and ran toward Joseph.

"Thank You." Gabriel barely gasped before he was swept away upon the next assignment.

He and Captain Sarriao sat gazing at each other.

"You are blessed." The Captain sighed. "I'm so glad He told you that. What would any of this be if not for His willingness to free us too." He paused a moment. "I've prayed myself; Please God, don't let me fall. I don't think I'll ever understand why Lucifer did what he did?" Captain Sarriao flashed Gabriel a funny look. "Or all that, with the men on the other side of the flood and the Nephilim?" He shook his head. "Why would men believe him anyways? We really don't have secret knowledge."

"I don't get it either." Gabriel shrugged.

"For the excuse of knowing what it's like to reproduce?" The Captain made another funny face and shook his head.

"Well I really think it was an attempt to destroy the salvation plan by trying to corrupt the seed of Adam." Gabriel interjected his two cents.

"But how stupid can he be? That's impossible. Can't he see, we aint flesh and blood?" The Captain flashed Gabriel an idiotic grin.

"Thus why the plan was self limiting." Gabriel sighed. "But I know what you mean. How is it what seems so obvious to us; is not to…. the once highest of the angelic host?" Gabriel shrugged. "I guess if anything Lucy has demonstrated to the rest of us; is how fast and far fallen angels descend."

"But he had to have known?" Captain Sarriao interjected.

"Of course he knew." Gabriel replied. "The fall never made anyone stupid, ya know!"

"Good point!" The Captain nodded in acknowledgment.

Just then, the bell from the other room jingled as the front door opened.

"Well, think you have a customer?" Gabriel leaned back, giving the inner door a little nudge and looked behind it. "Or maybe not" He chuckled. "Someone else who never takes vacations!"

"Who is it; Michael?" Captain Sarriao snickered.

"Yep!" Gabriel snickered in response as they both got up to greet 'ol Mike.

"Before you go though." Captain Sarriao stopped Gabriel. "Please do come back and tell me the rest of the stories about Mary and Adam."

"Oh yes!" Gabriel lit up. "When Eve ran out to the giant beasts they now call Titanosaurs."

"Didn't Adam call him Tiny?" The Captain flashed Gabriel a puzzled look.

"The first joke told of all creation!" Gabriel snickered.

"Ohhh…. OK!" Captain Sarraio nodded knowingly. "Chip off the Creator's block I see."

"Yep!" Gabe smiled before interjecting. "I gotta tell you the second half of the Job story first though!"

"Great!" Captain Sarraio enthusiastically rubbed his hands together. "That first one was good too!"

* * *

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1:11-13


	6. Super Bowl

**Super Bowl #…**

Gabriel excitedly scurried his way toward the Vault of History, anxious to know why his King had called him there. What was his next mission? Was he now headed for Earth to keep guard over... His servant… Bob? Gabriel smirked to himself. Boy, for an angel being of the highest order; Lucy sure is symptomatic of some serious lapses of memory. Gabriel grimaced to himself. Another reminder as to why sinning is a bad idea! Gabriel chuckled contentedly. Angelic Dementia is an unattractive trait!

"Gabriel!" A surprised voice rang out as Michael was bouncing a checkered ball off his feet. "Didn't expect you here!"

Gabriel looked up; just before Michael kicked the ball at him. Gabriel caught it.

"No golf today?" Gabriel laughed as he threw the ball back at Michael.

"No, I think the King has a different game in mind." Michael answered as he continued to toss the ball in the air and gestured toward the Vault of History. "He said He had to go get….. the pig skin." Michael made a funny face.

"Pig skin?" Gabriel raised an eye brow.

"Yeah, I reckon it's another form of this?" Michael gestured as he began bouncing the ball off his knees. "Football." Michael answered his own question. "Another version the Americans invent some couple thousand years from now." He amended. "Becomes a big hit in the empire." He continued. "They have Super Bowls."

"Super Bowls" Gabriel rubbed his chin as the only thing that popped into his mind was large vessels of wrath poured upon the wicked of earth. "To play a game of justice." He muttered contemplatively to himself.

"Justice is a good thing." Michael reminded Gabriel.

"Justice is righteousness. Mercy is love." The King's voice rang out from beyond the door to the Vault of History.

"Yes Sir!" The angels turned as a brown funny shaped ball came whizzing past them.

"Touch Down!" The King's voice suddenly came ringing out from behind them. They both swung around.

"Huh?" Michael flashed a perplexed expression. "I didn't even see…"

"The ability to run is irrelevant when You're omnipresent." Gabriel answered.

"Yes, it's quite the advantage." Jesus grinned as He stood flipping the ball in the air. "But it's also fun." He chuckled as He threw the ball to Gabriel.

Gabriel tried to catch this strange looking object.

"Oooh Fumble!" The King laughed as this odd ball bounced off Gabriel, flipped through the air toward Michael; who himself couldn't catch it either.

"Intercepted!" Jesus laughed as He was now standing between them with the ball in His hand.

Michael and Gabriel looked at each other, before they looked at their King as He let the ball drop from His hand. The two angels fumbled again to try and catch it.

"What is this thing?" Gabriel rocked the weird object in his hands.

"It's a football." Jesus answered.

"But I thought that was a football." Michael pointed to the checkered round 'game's star player' that now lay neglected before the door of the Vault of History.

"Depends on where you are in the universe." Their King answered playfully as He wandered over and gave the other ball a foot shuffle. "In some places this is a football, but in other places it's a soccer ball." He grinned. "That though!" He pointed to the brown object in Gabriel's hand. "Is always called a football."

"Foot ball" Gabriel flashed it a funny look before he dropped it on the ground and Michael kicked it about a bit, trying to get it to roll in an intended direction.

"How would you kick this thing?" Michael muttered to himself, while thinking out loud.

"Like this!" Their King announced as He scooped it off the ground took a couple of enthusiastic steps tossed it into the air and launched it with a firm kick.

The little brown weird weebley ball flipped through the air as it went sailing over a tree.

"AAAHHHHH!" An angry voice screamed. "I'm going to get you Gabriel!"

Both the angles began to snicker.

"Field Goal". Their King smiled with satisfaction.

"You wait you…. $&*. I'm gonna $#&^ your #&*$…" Lucy suddenly stopped… dead; as he stared at the three standing before the entrance to the Vault of History.

"Did you have something to say Lucifer?" The King inquired?

Lucy only growled under his breath. "No." He choked in effort to simply get the words out "Your… Majesty. I was headed to a mission _**YOU**_ sent me on." He tried not to hiss.

"Yes…. Bob!" Jesus answered.

"Alright, alright!" Lucifer screeched in frustration. "I know that's not the guy's name." He let out a huff before he posed a snide reply. "Do You want me to apologize."

"And make yourself a hypocrite?" Jesus inquired. "Why would you ever do that?"

"I'm smarter and higher…" Satan launched into a litany of attributes he desired to be extolled for.

"And more abundantly full of arrogance!" Gabriel interjected.

"Than Adam ever would be!" Satan completed his sentence.

"Hark, did I spy a word of truth out of Lucifer's mouth?" Michael eyed Gabriel.

"Oh, but my dear angelic host." Jesus broke in as He nodded toward Michael and Gabriel. "Lucifer here is full of all sorts of knowledge." The King paused a moment. "Even if his memory on how to exercise that knowledge is a bit dim." The King gestured toward Satan's increasingly less than bright presence. "He is still the most knowledgable theologian in all the created world."

"Yes!" Satan hissed at Michael as he tried to dust his dim glean. "Listen to your King!"

"Yes, even if millennia of knowledge never produces a… photon of wisdom." Jesus nodded in agreement.

"See!" Lucifer blurted out before he took a step back and flashed his King a perplexed and yet scornful scowl.

"And so, you will get to display your great theological knowledge before these other two angels; who are assigned to this lesson." Jesus continued.

"Yes, this lesson of Job." Lucifer acknowledged.

"You mean Bob." Gabriel corrected him.

"Don't confuse him." Michael nudged Gabriel.

Satan began to growl at Gabriel, as the King held His hands up and all grew quiet.

"You are both assigned to observe this." Jesus instructed as He pointed to Gabriel and Michael.

"Yes! Learn from me!" Satan hissed again.

"And learn they will." The King affirmed.

"But no…." Satan picked up the football and slapped Gabriel with it. "Interference!"

He growled as he eyed Gabriel before he turned around and stomped away.

"A photon of wisdom?" Michael flashed his Lord a perplexed look.

"Photons have no mass." Gabriel answered.

Michael paused to absorb that a minute as he raised his hand and pointed at Gabriel.

"I need to follow you around more." He concluded. "You keep good company." He grinned as he gestured at his King.

The Lord let out a hearty laugh; much to the stirring joy of the heavenly host.

"So Sir." Michael saluted his Supreme Commander and Chief as the songs subsided a bit. "How would you have us assist Job?"

"You don't have to." The King answered as He took the football from Gabriel and decisively chucked it in the direction Satan had gone. "Little does he realize; I already ran interference."

"Interference Sir" Michael puzzled a bit more.

"The lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Gabriel answered.

"Yes." The King acknowledged. "This Super Bowl of Infinity." The King paused a moment. "Was over before they ever played… _**OUR**_ National Anthem."

"One nation under God." Micheal nodded.

"With liberty and justice for all." The King concluded.

The two angles stood pondering that a moment.

"So if you are both ready to proceed to your…. lesson?" The Lord smiled at His angels. "I'm hearing Job calling."

"Yes Sir." They both saluted as their King strolled off back toward His Royal Throne Room.

"Liberty and justice for all." Michael nodded thoughtfully as he and Gabriel strolled down the road out of the Celestial City headed for the lower Kingdom.

"Yes, the day Satan is tossed into the Lake of Fire; is a day of justice for all." Gabriel paused a moment.

"Yes." Michael acknowledged. "Men often say that there's no justice without mercy; but in reality, there's no mercy without justice."

* * *

_Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproves God, let him answer it. _

_Job 40:1-2_


	7. Awkward Angelic Moments

**Awkward Angelic Moments**

_(the "talk")_

Gabriel pondered the troubles of Job, as well as he and Michael's awestruck amazement at their Lord's impeccable aim…. of the "pig skin". Gabriel chuckled as strolled toward Captain Sarriao's _**Angelic Vacations**_.

It was "lunch break" for the saints, as they gathered at the table happily awaiting their King's greetings. So Gabriel decided to go visit his faithful captain to complete his story about…. His servant Bob.

The memories rolled through Gabriel's mind as he meandered down the gold clad road while hurried saints waved on their jog to the King's palace. Hanna! Gabriel smiled and waved back, as one of Jesus's sisters popped into his recollections.

* * *

"You can make your presence known Gabriel." Jesus whispered as He sat on His knees quietly contemplating His prayers, knowing He wasn't alone.

"I'm sorry if I've disturbed You?" Gabriel whispered in reply as he materialized next to his King and a gasp came from a nearby bush.

"Sissy sis; you can come out now too." Jesus made a second announcement.

Gabriel looked up as a young woman crept out from behind a knobby tree; then cautiously tiptoed toward them through the tall waving grass.

"No, I'm not exactly talking to… _myself._" Jesus snickered as He flashed sissy sis a stupid smirk.

She stood staring at Gabriel before she crept another few feet closer and dropped to her knees before them.

"You probably don't remember him." Jesus gazed at His sister; caught somewhere between thoughtful and amused. "The last time you saw him you were maybe a year old?" He chuckled. "You were distracted from your hunger long enough to notice the angelic dude in the room." He laughed before He lent an introduction. "This is Gabriel."

Sissy lifted a finger in an attempted greeting.

"Yes, I remember that." Gabriel smiled. "It was right before the: "No Jesus, that's baby food" comment You offered me."

"Well yeah, that actually happened a couple of weeks before you showed up." Jesus shrugged with another chuckle. "Mom was feeding her when I decided all the sudden that I wanted some too and I'd been weened like…. two years earlier." He laughed.

"So I ran up to mom and crawled in her lap. "No, Jesus that's baby food. You're a big boy now." And I got a little teary eyed and tried to hug her, but she suddenly yelled: "Joseph, come get him, he needs you!" Jesus screeched in His best exasperated mom impersonation.

"So, Joseph comes in and he's trying to pick me up and my one hand is tangled in mom's hair." Jesus went on as He began to laugh. "They finally unpeeled my intertwined fingers and Joseph turned me around and squishes my little almost 5 year old… self, against his rib cage. I'm like… ouch! Thanks Joe!" Jesus giggled.

"Joseph looked down and then he looked at me and started laughing. "Well now you're going to have to wait till you get married." I was like…. huh?." Jesus paused a moment and looked at Gabriel. "It took over a decade before I'd figured out what he meant."

"Eeewwww!" Sissy sis suddenly cringed and shook her hands in front of her face. "I figured that out at seven!" She shuttered. "That sight is still stuck in my head!" She grabbed her hair and pulled it over her eyes.

Jesus started to laugh. "Well, that's what you get. I told you to come back!"

"Hey, and I just got engaged!" She shot Jesus a look before pleadingly turning to the angel. "Please tell me it aint as bad as I thought it looked at seven."

Gabriel flashed his Lord a confused expression.

"Joseph told me to go take her for a walk to the river." Jesus began to explain. "He said: "Your brother finally fell asleep and mom is taking a nap. Go play in the water." I guess he wanted us to get lost."

"So we're walking. We get down the road a bit. Maybe we were half way to to the river and she gets mad at me for something I said and goes running back toward the house." Jesus continued.

"So I'm yelling: "Sissy! Get back here!" And of course she isn't listening, so she runs into the workshop and when there's no Joseph; she runs into the house." Jesus sighed.

"So I'm thinking; I better hurry up and go get her. I'm almost to the door and she comes running out of the house madder than a rabid dog and yells at me. "Now I know where babies come from! And it wasn't Your Heavenly Father in there!" Then she shoves me and stomps away."

His Lord shrugged flashing Gabriel an idiotic grin.

"Well?" Gabriel scratched his head a moment as he peered back at sissy sis. "As far as it being as bad as it looked when you were seven?" He shrugged haplessly. "Honestly, He'd be a better one to ask than me." Gabriel lent a helpless grimace. "I don't know anything about…. that."

"Huh?" Sissy sis stared at Gabriel. "But don't you like… live in heaven… near God..who knows everything?"

Gabriel just sat dumbly pointing at his Lord; who was now laying on His stomach looking the other way, rubbing His face in His hands, half mumbling and half laughing. "Father, why me? Isn't she suppose to ask mom this stuff?"

Gabriel paused a moment before he mouthed to sissy sis. "Go ask your mother."

Sissy lent an exasperated huff as she peered at her Brother. "But you're what….. like 23 years old now and not even married yourself! So…. how should I believe that you would know?"

"But…." Gabriel attempted to offer an explanation. "He made you." He whispered. "And He made me." He pointed to himself.

"And by the time I finally can have my bride." Jesus suddenly rolled over and sat up. "Upon the ushering in of the New Heavens and New Earth" He exclaimed to Gabriel as He held His hands in the air. "We'll all be like you and it won't matter anymore!" His Lord suddenly flopped back over in the grass roaring with laughter.

Gabriel grinned helplessly; as he wasn't sure he got the joke?

"Come on." The Lord suddenly sat up again and slapped Gabriel on the back. "That's funny!"

Gabriel only shrugged with a good natured chuckle. "I can't…" He amended. "So I don't know?"

"You… don't know?" Sissy sis lent a puzzled whisper.

"No, he doesn't." Jesus answered as He tried to catch His breath. "Angels don't marry, nor are they given in marriage. So they don't have babies either."

"Not that some haven't tried by inhabiting men." Gabriel offered a historic observation.

"Well, that didn't work either!" His Lord turned and smirked at Gabriel.

"Really stupid attempt though!" Gabriel held an affirming finger up.

"Lucifer doesn't pay attention in biology class!" His Lord retorted.

"Well true; he's too preoccupied with his weird seed fetish." Gabriel lent a noncommittal comment. "Even Coco De Mer seeds." Gabriel suddenly turned to his Lord with an off handed question. "Is there some metaphoric reason they are shaped that way?"

"You mean as to why Roman soldiers call them coco nuts as opposed to coconuts?" Jesus answered his inquiry with another question. "But." He shook a finger in the air. "I've never actually seen one in the flesh."

"The tree seeds?" Gabriel momentarily muttered to himself as he paused to think, before he waved his ponderings away.

"Yes, the tree seeds." His Lord chuckled in confirmation.

"Well, they are big." Gabriel thoughtlessly declared before he back tracked his comment. "Traders have brought them from islands in the ocean to the east…. The tree seeds…. You know."

His Lord looked at him and laughed; before He amended. "Yes, and the other is actually too _small_ to see. So, I haven't seen just one of those in the flesh either."

"But You have held millions of them in Your hands." Gabriel thoughtlessly affirmed.

"For I am fearfully and wonderfully made." His Lord giggled contentedly and then sighed.

Gabriel sat and thought a moment as sissy sis just stared at the two of them.

"So… Let me get this strait; no seeds?" She muttered as she pointed to Gabriel.

"And you mean, he's not actually a him?" She followed up with Jesus.

"Correct!" Jesus declared in all dead pan seriousness. "He's actually not a him."

Sissy glared confoundedly at the angel.

"No. I'm…. not actually a him." Gabriel sheepishly confessed.

"Or, at least he's not a him as I am a him. Or more accurately as he was His image as in Me: meaning the first Adam was a him because of Him." Jesus chuckled. "But… he only looks like a him to you." Jesus smiled at His sister. "Are you confused yet?"

"Very." She answered dryly.

"I'm the him version of Him to you." Gabriel attempted to clarify. "The theophoric representation of Him, become him."

"To her." His Lord interrupted with a good natured laugh.

"Her meaning me?" Sissy sis scowled.

"No her meaning your mother." Gabriel answered.

"You mean you're the one mom told me told her about him?" Sissy sis pointed to Gabriel and then… brother Jesus. (At the end of two pointing fingers off crossed arms.)

"Yeah, you got it." Jesus laughed in His own respective pointing. "That's him!"

"Who's on first?" Gabriel snickered.

"What?" Sissy sis flashed another puzzled scowl.

"Before your time." Jesus giggled as He waved sissy sis's question away.

"Don't you mean after?" Gabriel puzzled.

"From the foundations of the world." His Lord retorted. "Even in the flesh I trip you."

"You can actually trip me in the flesh?" Gabriel laughed as he sprung to his feet.

"Yeah, actually I can." His Lord rose to the challenge, as He grabbed towering Gabriel by his angelic garb and 'dropped' him to the ground.

Gabriel lay there staring up at short little human Jesus. "I plead the Job." He slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Hey, where's Lucy." Gabriel suddenly jumped back up to his feet. "I wanna see You do that to him!"

"Again?" His Lord snickered. "Light has come into the world and darkness seeks not to swallow it up."

"You mean he's finally figured out that he can't?" Gabriel inquired.

"Oh, don't let him fool you too." His King admonished. "He's known that for a long time."

"Ya…yo…you mean… He really is the promised Messiah?" Sissy too rose to her feet in dumbfounded affirmation.

"Who Him?" Gabriel pointed as he burst out laughing and then suddenly rendered a verdict in the absolute. "Yes, He is!"

Sissy sis stood with her hand over her mouth a moment before she began drumming her fingers on her cheek.

"And we all thinkin' you nuts?" She paused a moment. "And not coconuts for saying you'll never get married." She amended. "I knew that from the time Simon grabbed the fire poker and set your kethoneth on fire! Aint nothing wrong with your anatomy!"

Sissy sis paused a moment.

"But…. my brother is the Christ?"

She paused another moment as Gabriel could see the wheels turning.

"Jesus…. Christ?" She muttered before leveling her inquisition.

"Does mom know about this?" She screeched before she turned on her heels and went running back down the hill.

"MA!" She screamed. "MOOOOOM!"

"ASK HER TO EXPLAIN WHERE BABIES COME FROM WHILE YOUR AT IT!" Jesus hollered after her.

"SHUT UP" Sissy yelled back. "I ALREADY KNOW THAT!"

There was a moment of silence as Gabriel watched Jesus's sister disappear momentarily behind some shrubby trees, only to emerge again on the road back into town.

"I think she wants to know what it feels like to create life?" Gabriel amended his own thoughtful comment.

"Well, I'm not sure I could explain that either?" His Lord sighed. "At least not as to the experience of men getting married and copulating children; as the Greeks would say."

"Well, I'm absolutely clueless on that Your Majesty." Gabriel chuckled. "Despite how many times I've actually witnessed it; I still don't get it?"

"Well?" His Lord sighed again as He began to wander about looking for a patch of rocky gravel. "Would it be as comforting as…" He squatted down and scooped up some stones between His hands and brought them back to Gabriel. When He opened His hands, there sat a sparrow.

Jesus giggled contentedly as He held up His new feathered baby and stroked his head with His finger; before He held His arm up and the sparrow took to flight.

Gabriel giggled too. "How many birds have You created now?"

"Like this you mean?" Jesus inquired. "Oh, at least a few. I've never really kept track." He paused before cracking a sad smile. "Neither let the eunuch say: Behold, I am a dry tree. Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows."

They both stood and pondered as they watched the bird circle their heads.

"Have you raised the dead yet?" Gabriel posed another question.

"Just animals; no humans." Jesus answered as He peered into the heavens and watched the bird He'd just let go fly out of sight.

"Your Father has not permitted it yet?" Gabriel asked.

"He said He will. It's just not time." Jesus answered.

"But He allows You to manufacture birds out of pebbles." Gabriel chuckled.

"It makes me happy. So, yes Jesus. You can make birds if You want." Jesus giggled with a shrug. "It's kind of silly; but I like watching them fly."

"Could You actually make a human that way?" Gabriel flashed Jesus an inquisitive look.

"God is able to raise from these stones children of Abraham." Jesus answered. "But it is not of the means I'm to obtain my seed. My seed remains in me and I must fall into the earth and die for them to live."

"Do You know what is going to happen to You yet?" Gabriel lent a sober question.

"Not the details." Jesus replied.

"But You never will get to…. copulate children as the Greeks would say." Gabriel tried not to laugh; but at his own lack of understanding.

"Not as is intended for the sons of the first Adam." Jesus answered. "We all have our own roles in this…. course of human events." He paused another moment, folded His arms and looked thoughtfully at Gabriel. "I made a choice to please the Father more than what makes up for my own comfort. It's a greater plan in the end. So I stay in the space He holds me in."

"Well, You seem content there; or at least from what I've observed." Gabriel smiled at his very human looking…. King Adam Two.

"I think of the wonder of raising death to life." Jesus lent a near gasp, as He dropped to the ground and sat quietly with His chin resting on His knees.

Gabriel quietly sat down next to Him.

"The first animal I raised. I was actually exhausted." Jesus laughed. "Resurrecting the dead is a lot….. more humbling."

"Humbling?" Gabriel puzzled.

"It takes everything I think I've got… and then some." Jesus chuckled. "To infuse life into this empty darkness." He paused to think another moment. "Much more intensely satisfying than pebble birds." He giggled. "Life… sings; with joy and gratitude. I raised a lion cub once and I woke up to his purring reverberating through my body. His heart beat to the pulse of the life within my own chest. Father, You and I are one. Teach me to pour You into this purpose You've sent me too."

Jesus flopped over, staring dazed at the springy patches of clover before Him. Gabriel watched and quietly giggled. He'd seen that expression many times before.

"What are You thinking?" Gabriel smiled in the void of his own creeping happiness. What ever God's love actually consisted of; it was contagious.

"I like it when omnipotence surges through me." Jesus sighed, followed by an excited giggle. "I want to raise a person."

"What does it feel like?" Gabriel wondered aloud as he laid down, propping his face up in his hands while he watched the One whom he'd stood in the shadow of blinding glory seemingly a second ago.

"It's very quiet and still." Jesus answered. "Nothing stirring. No revolt. If conscience goes one way; all presence goes too. If the other; all moves together. We are one life, one purpose, one pure motive, everywhere, invincible and endless. For as much brilliance as a sinless man can contain; this is beyond my mortal ability to grasp the depths of."

Jesus sat up, let out a contented sigh and looked around.

Gabriel got up on his hands and knees and crept closer staring into the depths of his Lord's eyes.

"How does all of what You are fit in there?" He muttered in awe.

"I have no freaking idea!" Jesus burst out laughing.

* * *

_O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! _

_Romans 11:33_


	8. Exodus - The Final Plague?

**Exodus - The Final Plague?**

Gabriel and Michael meandered contentedly down the winding trail toward hole #9 of The King's Glorious Green: golf course and country club. It was "greeting day" as groups of freshly arrived joyful saints were flooding the banquet hall in preparation for lunch. Many had arrived early, just to chat, as they'd run to hug and kiss each other; a rather interesting irony both angels had witnessed, after so many had been in isolation for so long.

"Not to neglect the assembling of yourselves together." Michael smiled.

"Even if now no longer confined to having to do so on Facebook." Gabriel giggled as the two angels turned and walked; continuing to observe the celebrations.

A few delegations had arrived early; upon invitation to golf with The King!

Gabriel and Michael chuckled as they paused to watch a silly demonstration of that which was now latest trending on Earth; "the hand washing dance". These were groups of doctors and nurses from China, Italy and Iran. The newest arrivals now coming from Spain. All soldiers on the front line of this new world war. The plague humanity had now named Covid 19.

The Spanish doctors hugged their King as the Italians demonstrated to the Iranians and Chinese of how they could now breath. The Iranians sang and the Chinese bowed as they all laughed of their own silly human customs; while the King applauded their ad lib performances.

Michael and Gabriel wandered in the direction the group; as one of the Iranian nurses was pitching golf balls in the air that the Chinese and Italians were trying to catch with one hand. Meanwhile, one of the Spanish fellows had apparently taken up juggling back on Earth.

"Talented delegation." Mike chuckled to Gabe.

"Takes a certain kind of saint to work in a hospital during a plague." Gabriel chuckled back.

"And all these people died of Covid 19 didn't they?" Michael made his observation.

"Everyone who's here today did." Gabriel replied.

"How many more do you think we are going to get?" Michael posed his next inquiry.

"A lot." Gabriel chuckled. "This is only the beginning."

"And the global population is a lot bigger than it was in 1919."

"Yep."

"Influenza ended World War I; correct?" Michael flashed Gabriel an inquisitive scowl.

"Basically yes." Gabriel answered as the two of them watched their King wander along the path onward toward the next hole; accompanied by His new arrivals.

"So what do you think?" Gabriel posed a sober question to Michael as he watched a Spanish doctor do cartwheels across the green.

"Ezekiel 38 maybe?" Michael responded.

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing?" Gabriel nodded. "Gog, the ruler of Magog, gathered against the people of the Lord."

"And it shall come to pass that at the same time, things will come into his mind and he shall think an evil thought." Michael paraphrased.

"And to consider whether or not that evil thought is a virus humanity themselves created in a labratory." Gabriel sighed.

"Yep." Michael nodded. "Would you put it past Gog; the prince of the power of the air, to do this to them?"

"Or both they to do it to themselves; on account of their wicked king." Gabriel peered over at Michael.

"Out of the north?" Michael shrugged. "There are those who are claiming this virus was stolen from a lab in Canada."

"Interesting." Gabriel scowled a moment. "In the midst of a military operation's attempt to take out what they are calling…. the global deep state."

"Drain the swamp. Yeah! Well, we all knew the beast wasn't going to go down without a fight." Michael nodded.

"Same swamp though; different set of creatures." Gabriel made a point.

"In that sense yeah, it's the way of the world." Michael replied. "Not to disparage those of righteous intentions. The King still has his servants in various places."

"True." Gabriel acknowledged. "But this is a spiritual battle though." He reiterated.

"Um-hum!" Michael confirmed. "Some trust in horses. Some trust in chariots. Even the best military operation executed with razor precision does not accomplish the righteousness of God."

"They made that same mistake at the tower of Babel."

"Yep."

"So, beyond Lucy's diabolical plans?" Gabriel pondered some more. "You think this is the end?"

"Well, you're the one who keeps bugging The King." Michael giggled. "You'd have a better idea than I would."

"Oh, shut up." Gabriel gaffed as he gave Michael a shove and then let out a hearty bellow.

"Well?" Michael giggled as he straitened himself to the seriousness at hand. "The end of that chapter says: I will judge them with a plague and blood."

"Yes, you are either atoned for or condemned for your own sin." Gabriel nodded. "Is there some irony to the wicked 'drowning' in the lake of fire?"

"You mean as far as all these people dying of pneumonia?" Michael shrugged. "Satan's projection upon humanity of his own fate?…. I don't know?" He paused a moment. "It's an interesting comparison."

"When they say peace and safety; then sudden destruction is upon them?" Gabriel raised his next hypothesis.

"Well, you can't wage wars upon other nations when the world is sick and under quarantine." Michael countered. "But I suppose?" He paused a moment. "Good health be upon you at the close of this conversation." He looked at Gabriel and shrugged. "It does fit."

Gabriel shook a finger at Michael for a moment of contemplation.

"Yet we know The King's purpose in all this."

"Yes we do." Michael answered. "Thus I will magnify myself and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the LORD."

"And the rest of us await the final outcome." Gabriel folded his arms as the two angels turned toward the boundless cheers erupting from the clubhouse. The King had just taken His seat to issue His greetings.

"For we still don't know the day or the hour." Michael nodded.

"Nope. We don't". Gabriel agreed.


	9. Epstein Island

**Epstein Island!**

_This story; though it contains Scripture, is as historically descriptive as I have been able to research and could have plausibly happened: It is fiction. _

* * *

A bright flash of light and Gabriel found himself in the midst of the empty chamber; right where the ark of the covenant should have been! Yet Gabriel knew where the Ark of the Covenant really was! He smirked to himself; as he thought about how He was up on the other side of the Mount of Olives…. taking a nap.

The earthly holy of holies was dark and dead. What an irony. Gabriel pondered a moment. Spiritual state of…. the union; whom at current was too busy pointing out the sins of Rome to remove the plank from their own eye. Gabriel let out a sigh as he walked toward the blue and gold curtain, laden with heavy stitch and the riches of kingdoms long since vanished from history. He poked the curtain a moment before he walked through it.

The long sanctuary before him also sat dark and empty; with the exception of the flickering flames of the golden menorah to his right. To his left, the table of shew bread gleaned in the dim lamp light and finally the embers of the alter of incense which stood directly in Gabriel's path, could be seen glowing in the ever increasingly pervasive darkness. He wandered passed the table of shew bread and the menorah, up to the alter of incense; where he paused a moment to stare into its pile of ascending embers. Interesting. Gabriel pondered a moment, as though he'd been in this space before; he did not recall it seeming so… dark?

There were priests stirring about. Gabriel could hear them, as well as see glints of shadowy forms flowing through the dark corners of the temple's edifice; but none of the men apparently were aware of his presence. That was OK though, as he hadn't come to talk to priests. He came to retrieve a member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus.

To the demons on the other hand though; Gabriel stuck out like a lighting bolt. He observed as they hissed at him while he passed. Gabriel contemplated as to whether or not he should make sport of some of them? After all, what would a few less of Lucy's minions matter anyways?

Yet Gabriel kept his mirth to himself, for he was on a mission. He paused a moment though to observe one sniveling fiend slinking across the floor behind a priest who'd come to check the menorah. Pedophilia was his name. Gabriel recognized him right away; for he'd seen his kind many times before.

There is nothing though the Father is not in control of. Gabriel reminded himself with a sigh as he turned and walked out the sanctuary's front doors; which were now permanently ajar from and earthquake that had transpired back at the time John began to preach. Gabriel turned and looked up.

"I'm going to bring the whole thing down." He pondered, of a moment of cinematic hereafter, yet to be played out, that he'd discovered snooping around in the Vault of History. "I'm going to bring the whole fucking diseased corrupt temple down on your head. It's going to be Biblical!"

Yep! Gabriel nodded to himself… Father, Son and Spirit. Biblical alright!

Gabriel turned and continued on his path to Nicodemus. It was dark this night and he knew his Lord awaited.

From the exit of the Nicanor Gate; Gabriel stood in the Sanhedrin library. The old man was on his knees before the window staring into the night waiting for an answer.

"Come with me." Gabriel stated circumspectly.

Nicodemus swung around and looked up.

"How did you get in here?" He questioned. "And who are you?"

"You wish to speak to Jesus of Nazareth." Gabriel answered. "I will take you to him."

Nicodemus gasped back a near horrid look of shock, as he scrambled to his feet and gathered up his cloak.

"Are you a Galilean." Nicodemus chattered curiously as he followed Gabriel out of his study cell and across the side of the temple toward Solomon's Porch. "Are we headed toward the Mount of Olives? Is he over across the red heifer bridge?" Nicodemus was full of questions; but Gabriel only ignored his inquiries and kept walking.

After about 20 minutes and circumnavigating past the empty crosses perched on Golgotha; Gabriel pointed to a form wandering contemplatively through the olive groves.

"Rabbi?" Nicodemus called as he hurried toward the figure. "Are you Jesus? Jesus of Nazareth?"

"Hello Nicodemus." Jesus answered.

"It is you?" Nicodemus stopped short a minute as foggy recollections swam through the mist of his memory. He turned around briefly to point to the figure who'd brought him; but Gabriel had disappeared into a flash of the angelic dimension.

"Where'd he go." Nicodemus puzzled a moment before he turned back to Jesus and waved his questions of this mysterious guide away. After all, he'd now found whom he really wanted to see.

"Rabbi, we know you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God is with him." Nicodemus blurted out. "Is this the time? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? I don't understand? What's going on?"

Jesus stood quietly contemplating Nicodemus's questions before He peered off behind Nicodemus, passed the red heifer alter, to the empty crosses. "Truly!" He sighed. "I tell you that unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus paused a moment as he too looked at the empty crosses. "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

Jesus answered, "Truly, I tell you. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Nicodemus peered at Jesus a moment; as he was unsure if his memory really did jive with the present.

"Marvel not that I say to you: You must be born again. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound it makes, but can not tell where it comes and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus peered at Jesus another moment and lent an honest question. "How can these things be?"

"Are you a master of Israel and don't know these things?" Jesus raised an eyebrow to Nicodemus. "Truly, I tell you: We speak of what we know and testify to that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how would you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"

Nicodemus turned again to stare at the crosses before he muttered to himself. "But… He will provide… himself a sacrifice?"

"And no man has ascended to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." Jesus amended. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Nicodemus turned back to Jesus; who'd wandered toward an olive tree, to take a seat on one of its branches.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Nicodemus sucked in a breath to say something, but Jesus continued.

"He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Nicodemus let out a sigh; came over to Jesus and sat down.

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

"Do you remember that day?" Nicodemus suddenly inquired. "How old were you?"

"Twelve."

"Joseph of Arimathea came to me and said: You got to go get that kid, before he becomes another statistic!" Nicodemus peered at Jesus. "Do you remember that?"

"Yes." Jesus nodded. "Come the end of that day; the two of you dragged me back to your apartment and you both argued over finding my parents."

"Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree."

Nicodemus paused a moment. "Do you remember that too?"

"But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves." Jesus replied. "Do you remember Joseph saying that to you?"

"Yeah." Nicodemus sighed. "I do."

"But did you realize that at twelve?" Nicodemus shot back another inquiry.

"What that Caiaphas, Herod or half their teachers would have rather spent their days molesting me than I actually have studied with Gamaliel, or learned anything from Simon ben Hillel?" Jesus shook his head. "No, I found that out when Joseph took me back to Nazareth and one of my classmates told me what the local Rabbi did to him. I'd told Joseph, I wanted to study Torah. He kept saying: You learn from HIM; not him!"

"Well, he was right you know?" Nicodemus lent a sober observation.

"Oh yeah, he certainly was!" Jesus confirmed.

"He didn't quite understand you though, did he?" Nicodemus sighed before he muttered to himself. "Wish my father had dragged me out of the temple when I was twelve."

"No he didn't understand me." Jesus answered. "But Joseph certainly had street smarts. When I walked down those steps and he came over, picked me up and literally carried me out of there; I realized something that day."

"That you were still a child." Nicodemus snickered.

"Besides that." Jesus replied.

"But…. you were oh so determined!" Nicodemus interrupted with his own recollections.

"I was twelve." Jesus flatly pointed out.

"Yes, and your… dad was no happy with you!" Nicodemus made his own point.

"No, but of his zealousness to teach me what he could." Jesus replied. "A simple marginally literate carpenter was not going to teach the Son of God his Father's theology; but he could teach me practical survival skills for planet earth." Jesus paused a moment.

"And you're grateful for that?" Nicodemus pondered.

"Yes." Jesus answered honestly. "Joseph was rather a mountain of a man and it was that long that I could have even remembered… being picked up and carried!" Jesus sucked in a quiet whimper. "Father told me that day that I still had a lot to learn."

"I guess even He who comes from God can feel pretty small." Nicodemus lent an observation.

"More than you can ever imagine." Jesus replied.

"So… was I wrong in: But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." Nicodemus posed another inquiry.

"No you weren't wrong; but you still must be born again." Jesus answered.

"And…. I still don't know what that means." Nicodemus shook his head.

"John preached repentance; but none of you got in the river." Jesus pointed out. "Despite the fact that I know you know what that means."

Nicodemus flashed Jesus a puzzled look.

"If you didn't. You and Joseph would have never dragged me back to your apartment that night." Jesus answered.

"Well, Caiaphas did come looking for you and we couldn't find you?" Nicodemus puzzled some more.

"That's because Joseph locked me in your closet." Jesus answered dryly.

"He did?" Nicodemus flashed Jesus a peculiar look. "Well that little rascal lied then didn't he?" He muttered before offering an unsure apology. "Ehh… sorry about that?"

"Rehab lied to the people of Jericho too." Jesus offered.

Nicodemus paused another moment.

"Well, you probably would have gotten what you thought; if they'd found you. You know, to be sacrificed like Isaac."

"Not on the alter of Baal." Jesus replied. "I lay down my life of my own accord and my Father is the only one who has the authority to condemn me."

"But God is not unjust!" Nicodemus growled; a bit offended.

"He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Jesus replied.

"So…. If I believe, I'm not condemned because you will be?" Nicodemus puzzled some more.

"Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree."

"But…. wait a minute?" Nicodemus tried to recall. "I told you that when you were twelve. Didn't I?"

"You are a master in Israel and you don't understand these things?"

"Well?" Nicodemus shrugged haplessly. "I guess I still have a lot to learn myself." He sighed. "You know I've been taught so much…. crap? I…I'm having trouble sifting through it. I mean… I.. I'm sure you have to see that corruption is everywhere." Nicodemus peered at Jesus. "The swamp runs deep. Will we ever fix this? Will we ever….. drain the swamp?"

"You must be born again." Jesus repeated. "Because in truth I tell you; that swamp will be around until the end of time."

They both sat for several long minutes.

"So Judah will be destroyed before we are purged of this corruption?" Nicodemus pondered some more. "What about God's promise to Abraham?"

"Or…." Nicodemus paused again. "Are you talking about…?"

"The… END!" Jesus completed Nicodemus's thought. "Heaven and Earth will pass away; but my word remains."

Another long ray on the sundial of the intent of eternity passed before Peter, James and John came looking for Jesus.

"Rabbi, Rabbi!" They called.

"Over here. I think I found him!" James hollered to the rest, as they came hurrying to make sure all was safe.

"What's going on?" Peter inquired as he glared a searching eye at Nicodemus.

"Oh, I am alone and I am just leaving." Nicodemus backed off before he paused a moment and made a quick surveillance of the other three. "Umm?" He held a finger up to Jesus. "Ahh…. Judas?"

"I know." Jesus nodded.

"OK." Nicodemus made an uneasy confirmation. "Just checkin'."

"Good night Nicodemus."

"Good night."

* * *

_And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually._

_Genesis 6:5_

_The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun._

_Ecclesiastes 1:9 _


	10. Happy Easter!

**Happy Resurrection!**

Gabriel stood quietly in the doorway watching the sleeping form before him; or at least he assumed his Lord was asleep. That was until Jesus rolled over and sat up.

"You can come in Gabriel." Jesus whispered.

"I'm sorry if I woke You." Gabriel responded.

"No." Jesus sighed and then snickered. "I've been laying here for two hours. I can't sleep anyways."

"Well…. how many days do You have left?" Gabriel posed a seemingly unrelated question.

"15." Came the answer. "That's if I count today." Jesus grinned to himself.

"What will it be like?" Gabriel eagerly inquired as he hurried over and sat attentively hoping for some wisdom.

"I honestly don't know?" Jesus answered as He held His hands out before Him and looked at them. "I've never resided in the Heavens while in a body; not to say a glorified one."

"No more Theophanies though?" Gabriel lent a half committed observation.

"Nope." Jesus chuckled. "This universe won't be able to handle me any more."

"For no-one can see the Lord and live." Gabriel answered.

"Yep!" Jesus confirmed, before somewhat shifting subjects. "I still haven't figured out how I'm to be omnipresent in physical form." He chuckled some more. "Oh the things that are beyond human understanding at the moment."

"Well, I'm sure the Father knows." Gabriel tried to sound helpful.

"Well, I know too." Jesus answered as He glanced at Gabriel. "I just can't explain how, or what I know. The limitations of existing in the material world." Jesus looked at His hands again and giggled in a bit of awe. "I'm looking forward to glory though!" He beamed happily.

"Well?" Gabriel thought out loud a moment. "I wonder how the Spirit handles omnipresent existence in this material world?"

"He's Spirit." Jesus started to laugh.

"Well, I'm spirit too." Gabriel amended. "But I don't have omnipresence."

"And THAT'S a good thing!" Jesus quipped as He turned and poked Gabriel. "Even if not technically possible; because just the shadow of such, would go to your head!"

Gabriel paused a moment to think.

"And if I possessed the substance and not the shadow; I'd be Him instead of me." Gabriel quipped back.

"Ahhh… I almost got you there." Jesus laughed as He gave Gabe a good natured wack on the back. "Actually, you got me." He chuckled. "It's true that omnipresence of Spirit could not come without the rest of the package. To be omnipresent of Spirit would make you Divine."

"And Oh dear Lord, don't make my head explode." Gabriel retorted. "We all know what happened to another angel who thought he was divine."

"Well, of the created order; he was 'the god'." His Lord pointed out. "Given all the knowledge of the battle plan. You know Lucifer possesses the most earthly knowledge of any created thing." Jesus continued. "Even all that contained in the pages of the Law; and he missed _THIS!_" His Lord turned and held His hands up.

"He was ignorant of the Master Plan?" Gabriel lent a hesitant observation.

"Certainly not any less lacking in knowledge than you are." Jesus pointed out. "But pride goes before a fall; or rather, the fall." Jesus chuckled a bit more. "And pride is the catalyst that hides wisdom from the wicked. The 'top secret' documents were all in the pages of the Book. He was just blinded and couldn't see."

"But… I understood the day You dictated it to Moses." Gabriel pondered a moment more.

"That's because you posses wisdom." His Lord answered. "Knowledge is power; but wisdom is the sum of knowledge and power exercised rightly. Wisdom requires of the creature to know he's not omniscient!"

"And…" Gabriel posed his next observation. "Omnipotence requires pure goodness."

"That is true." His Lord confirmed. "Because an omnipotent being that is evil prevents his own existence."

"A kingdom divided against itself can't stand." Gabriel amended.

"And that's why!" Jesus answered as He pointed out Gabriel's observation. "Because omnipotence and holiness are inseparably merged. One can be holy and not omnipotent; but omnipotence without holiness does not exist."

Gabriel had to think about that a minute.

"So… omnipotence is what makes Elohim both omniscient and omnipresent?" Gabriel flashed his Lord a puzzled look.

"In a certain sense of this, all stemming out of righteousness." Jesus explained. "But the base essence of all these attributes is love."

"Yes…. Love." Gabriel mulled some more. "The undefinable essence of God."

"Yes." Jesus nodded. "Being infinite makes love undefinable to the creature because he has not omniscience."

"And he can't have omniscience because he's not omnipotent and he's not omnipotent because he's not righteous and he's not righteous because he possess not the undefinable essence of Love." Gabriel backtracked his thoughts before he turned to his Lord and popped out the next question. "Does all this ever make your brain hurt?"

"Oh, it's the root cause of what makes my whole humanity hurt!" Jesus started to laugh.

Gabriel flashed his Lord another inquisitive look. "That's profound." He muttered.

"Tell me about it." Jesus giggled as He flopped over and lay staring out the window at the night's sky.

Gabriel lay down next to Him and peered at the stars too.

"So Lucifer fell because he desired power that he couldn't grasp because he lacked love." Gabriel lent his next observation.

"Yes, he lacked Love because he wasn't created in the image of God." Jesus answered. "That's why he was jealous of Adam."

"Because he was jealous of You?" Gabriel looked at his Lord.

"Yep."

"But how could he not get that he isn't God?" Gabriel shrugged as he held his hands out into the air.

"Pride." Jesus answered. "He desired power above wisdom."

"So what's the difference between him and me?" Gabriel inquired as he sat up again… to think. "Besides that he possesses all known knowledge of the universe."

"He also possesses all known power and presence of this universe." Jesus reminded Gabriel. "That's why he's the 'god of this world'; the 'prince of the power of the air'." Jesus went on to explain. "BUT, he can exercise none of it without Divine permission." His Lord smiled big.

"And he don't like that." Gabriel chuckled.

"Nope!" Jesus chuckled back.

"So he's the personification of the evil that came about because of Your choice to create." Gabriel turned to his Lord. "He's the spiritual created opposite of your incarnation and that's why he possesses these attributes."

"Yet, he possess not Love, so he can not possess the eternal attributes of…. US; all that makes Elohim Divine." Jesus explained. "He was necessary to create because of the incarnation."

"And the incarnation was necessary for redemption!" Gabriel let out a joyful noise that reverberated through the ranks of his fellow angelic host, as he reached out with the thought to kiss his Lord.

Yet somewhere across the great divide; Gabriel suddenly realized the resurrection had changed things. Jesus smiled empathetically as He reached through the divide and took a hold of Gabriel's hand. The King now reigned; and Gabriel never again had to fear Satan.

"You are my faithful servant." Jesus smiled as He warmly shook Gabriel's hand. "Welcome to your place in the Kingdom!"

"Thank You Sir." Gabriel gasped in awe struck silence. "If I could cry, I would." He chuckled lightheartedly.

"You didn't have to spare any of us." Gabriel whispered. "Me, Adam or anything else."

"There'd be no point in making a creation; except to show it what Love really is." Jesus whispered in return as He squeezed Gabriel's hand and let go.

Gabriel looked down at his hand.

"Satan is a very cruel task master." Gabriel commented. "The wicked things he does to the creatures in …. Your universe."

"I know." Jesus replied.

"But, that's over now." Gabriel contemplated silently.

"With exception of those yet to be brought into the Kingdom; yes." Jesus answered. "For I shall build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The tables have turned."

"I think Lucy was shocked when he was kicked out of heaven" Gabriel chuckled a moment before muttering to himself. "But boy was he pissed."

"The ever mounting mount of…. post it notes." His Lord laughed as He shook his head. "Of WHO'S really in control."

"I still have a hard time believing he couldn't see it coming?" Gabriel puzzled some more. "When did he really know it was over?"

"The hour I left the temple Tuesday afternoon." Jesus replied as He folded His arms over His knees and rested His chin on them. "I could see it on their faces. The disciples were confused; but that pharisee was scared."

"The one who came to tell you Herod was after you?" Gabriel inquired.

"Yeah." Jesus answered. "The impotent ruler of a kingless nation." He sighed. " God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant."

"What an irony that is." Gabriel puzzled a moment. "Since the Assyrians and Babylonians and now Rome; but the…. 'political day' of King David is long gone, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." The King answered. "But Rome will have its day too." He continued. "Judged, just as the Byzantines, Mongols, Spain, France, Ottomans, Germany, Britain, the Soviets, China and…. the United States."

"You now know when the end is; don't you?" Gabriel flashed Jesus a surprised gape.

"A key to the Vault of History has taught you much." His Lord chuckled.

"Not that I understand the time line." Gabriel confessed. "It's all jumbled together in there." He paused another moment. "But I've…. wondered."

"Well the technology ends at a certain point." Jesus reminded him. "You see that."

"But that happened on the other side of the flood too though." Gabriel recollected. "With the Nephilim and the mighty men of old." Gabriel paused a moment. "You know; I even watched the Tower of Babel go up and I still didn't understand!" He flashed his Lord an inquisitive scowl. "Centuries later they were still building pyramids. The Aztecs, the Incas, Egyptians and…. even that funny rock structure off the coast of Japan?" Gabriel chuckled a bit. "I can see that the technology of the latter days does not come from knowledge of the angelic dimension; but all of this is still mind boggling. They worshiped us. How could they not see the difference between angels and God?"

"No, they worshiped demons." His Lord corrected him. "You understand from a rightful perspective what your place in this universe is. That is the true foundation of knowledge that leads to wisdom which Lucifer refuses to obey."

"And…. that's why he fell?" Gabriel turned to his Lord; as if the light suddenly went on.

"Basically yes." Jesus confirmed. "Eve actually illustrated that. And Lucifer still didn't get it."

"Wait a minute." Gabriel turned in another awestruck revelation. "She wanted wisdom!" He gaped at…. the Creator of the universe! "Satan could offer her knowledge but not wisdom; but You actually opened her heart to the desire for wisdom."

"Outsmarted by the very creature he thought he was intellectually superior to." Jesus marked Gabriel's point. "I knew she wanted wisdom; but I also knew there was no impetus to obtain it without a context to seek it in."

"But was there a way to actually obtain wisdom without the fall?" Gabriel posed his next question.

"Not outside of being conceived by the Holy Ghost; no." Jesus answered.

"But You could have made Yourself as Adam." Gabriel shook a finger of consideration in the air. "And still conquered evil."

"Yes." Jesus answered. "But what is the point of a universe that only proves God can obey His own law? We don't need to prove Our Divinity to Ourselves."

"But you gave creatures independent wills; for the sake of revealing love to them." Gabriel pondered a bit. "Or should I say us?" He shrugged.

"See!" His Lord pointed out. "You obtained wisdom without falling."

"But I'm also not created in Your image." Gabriel pointed back.

"And now given that perspective; aren't you happy to know why you're not?" His Lord nodded in affirmation.

"That was Your way of demonstrating love to us too." Gabriel sat back a moment to… suck in such revelation.

"And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." Jesus smiled.

"And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." Gabriel completed the verse and paused a moment. "You know I stood there in awe the moment Adam came to life. The whole universe already so brilliantly designed. And… and.. here is this… human. This creature created in Your image. I wanted to run over and touch him. I wanted to hear his voice. What would he say to me? What… wisdom.. would he know."

"Then when You were actually born; that just blew my mind!" Gabriel started to laugh. "And here silly me in my angel curiosity; I wanted to be Adam." He paused another moment. "But I've since learned the great joy of being Gabriel. I've been happy, sad, amazed and bewildered by history as its unfolded." Gabe let out a chuckle. "How many times have I run up to Michael and said. "What do you think this means? And he tells me: Don't worry, HE's got it covered!" Gabriel laughed some more. "And I was always like: I know that. I know that!… But what does it MEAN?"

"Gabe, go watch the Seraphim wax their wings." Jesus chuckled as He quoted Michael's pat response.

Gabriel automatically flashed his Lord his own customary stupid look, which was well practiced on Mike; before he burst into rolls of giggles.

"I love You." Gabriel proclaimed as he impulsively reached out and…. hugged Jesus. "Ehhrr. Sorry." He sheepishly confessed as he patted… ADAM's springy hair.

"I won't fall off Tiny." Jesus laughed.

"Oh dear God; they scared me when they got on that dinosaur's head!" Gabriel exclaimed. "Eve is running through the bushes. "Adam, look there's Tiny!" And I'm thinking; where you going girl, come back here? And this huge Titanosaur puts his massive head right on the ground and these two tiny humans climb up his wrinkly skin. And I'm thinking: I better get over there." Gabriel paused another moment as he looked at his Lord.

"The things I take for granted. They were just dumbstruck at the view when he picked his head up; and I see that view all the time. How many hours and countless worlds even have I passed through the dimensions of; and they simply look out over part of one planet perched on a beast's head? There's so much I still don't understand." Gabriel let out a sigh as he peered thoughtfully at Jesus.

His Lord chuckled in an affirmative nod.

The both sat for a long time peering out the window as the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon. Gabriel's thoughts wandered through history as he turned to share another story with his beloved Creator. Jesus though, He who'd risen from the dead, how many days ago now… was asleep now. Gabriel peered down at the hand that was laying peacefully next to him.

And Gabriel sighed for one more moment of contemplation.

Welcome Home from the dead!

* * *

_And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,_

_Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,_

_Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:_

_And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,_

_Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all._

_Ephesians 1:20+ _


	11. Samaritan Lives Matter

**Samaritan Lives Matter**

"Come on John!" Peter huffed as he spun around and administered a friendly slap upside the back of the head. "The rug rat, ankle biters who come to play at this well, aint gonna steal him."

Jesus held a finger up to John and then pointed toward the town.

John gestured in acknowledgement.

"OK, OK; I'm coming." John continued to protest as he and Peter… 'nudged' each other up the path.

"Lord, would You have me go watch after Your cousin myself?" Michael asked.

Jesus peered behind Him at His angelic top brass general.

"You're worried about John; aren't you?" He replied.

"Well… admittedly; I'm…. worried about everyone." Michael hesitantly confessed. "The pharisees want to kill You and I know Herod is going to kill John."

"Trust the plan." Jesus let out a sober sigh.

"Yes Lord Sir; I'm rallying the reserves. Yet this civil unrest is hard to contain. The armies are on the move and it's spilling over into this here earthly realm." Michael paused a moment. "A little more…than I'm comfortable with." He sighed.

Michael peered hesitantly at his Lord. "I'm… afraid of losing a saint."

"Clear lives matter." Jesus replied.

"Clear lives?" Michael inquired.

"Maybe Gabe needs to give you another tour of the Vault of History." Jesus chuckled before issuing a reassuring declaration. "Fret not; my Father is keeping track."

"Yes Sir; I know." Michael nodded in affirmation, although more to himself. "The Spirit moves too." He sucked in a deep breath. "I see it; although I feel like I aint got the foggiest clue what's going on."

"Not all has even been revealed to me." Jesus laughed. "So try not to feel left out."

Michael sat for a moment as he rested the tip of his mighty sword on the ground and leaned on the hilt.

"So… are You OK?" Michael suddenly seemed to change subjects as he hopped up from where he was perched. "You're tired. Do You want some water?" Michael asked as he peered down the well.

"My… Jewish privilege comes up the path." Jesus smirked as He gestured behind Michael.

"Huh?" Michael turned around; only to see a lone Samaritan woman staring annoyingly at a pail she'd just dropped.

"Why you little…" She growled at its now broken handle. "How'm I suppose to get you on the winch?" She stood up, with her hands on her hips and let out a sigh. "Now I'm gonna to have to come back here a second time, 'cause I only got one bucket left." She murmured, before giving the broken cistern a firm kick. "Made in Galilee… My ass!"

Michel peered a bit tentatively at his Lord. Samaritan women with an attitude to boot. He nodded knowingly.

Jesus sat patiently as she approached; gave Him the 'once over' look and peered down the well. She attached her remaining bucket to the rope and commenced turning the crank.

"Give me a drink too." Jesus muttered just loud enough for her to hear Him.

The woman paused a moment glanced over at Jesus with one raised eyebrow. "He talking to me?" She mumbled to herself, before she shook the thought away and peered back down the well.

"Yes, I'd like a drink too." Jesus repeated.

The woman stood up and turned around again. "Thought that's what he said." She mumbled to herself one last time before she decided to address Jesus. She sucked in a deep breath. "How is it that you; a Jew, askin me, a woman of Samaria… for a drink of water?" She paused another moment. "You… Jew people… won't have anything to do with us Samaritans?"

Jesus answered: "Well if you have the ability to see what God freely gives; and who it is that lays forth this saying to you: 'Give me to drink'. You would be pleading and he would give you living water."

The woman took a step back and a moment to contemplate.

"Um….High Teacher." She paused another second to frame her thoughts as politely as possible. "You… have no bucket and this well is… reeeealy deep." She nodded as she peered one last time down into the abyss. "From where then, do you have this living water?"

She turned again to Jesus; somewhere between mystified and annoyed before she popped out with her next inquisition.

"No, you're not greater than our father Jacob, which gave us this well, and drank from it himself, as well as his children, and his cattle." She eyed him.

Jesus remained quiet a moment before He answered.

"Everyone drinking from this water will be thirsty again. Yet, whoever shall drink the water that I will give him, will never, in the coming age thirst. No, the water that I will give him, will become in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

The woman folded her arms, and began tapping her chin. This fellow's metaphors required more contemplation than passing answers of 'teachers' who concluded themselves to be smarter than she. After all, she'd heard rumor of a preacher whom people were taking serious consideration of. She furrowed her brow and wrinkled her nose as she studied Jesus a bit more.

Water and wells? She thought a moment about Moses and the rock.

"Teacher, give me this water, so I won't thirst; and don't have to keep coming back here…" She paused another moment as she peered one last time down into the dark abyss. "…to draw". She mumbled to herself. "…from an empty well."

Jesus sat another moment before He assigned her next 'mission'.

"Go, call your husband and then come back here."

The woman looked at Him a moment. "But I have no husband." She half confessed and then muttered to herself. "Junior don't even know who daddy is." She sighed.

"You've answered well; 'I have no husband'." Jesus continued. "For you've had five husbands and he who you have now is not your husband. In this you've spoken truthfully."

She stood studying Him.

"Teacher, I see you are a prophet." She paused another moment. "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; but…. you all say Jerusalem is the only rightful place to worship."

"Believe me." Jesus smirked and then let out a sober sigh. "Believe me…. betrothed. The hour is coming when neither on this mountain, or in Jerusalem; you…. all" He pointed at her and then around the encompassing geography. "…will worship the Father."

"You.." He continued as He pointed with each hand; one toward the mountain and one toward Jerusalem. "worship what you don't know." Jesus paused another moment pulling His hands in to gather the… "We worship what we know; for salvation…." He pointed toward Jerusalem, then… Ethiopia? Persia? and… Babylon? "..is of…" And finally He pointed to Himself. "…the Jews."

The Samaritan woman cocked her head and looked at Him. Then she turned and rehearsed the very areas He'd pointed to. She stopped short and turned back to Jesus.

"Moses married and Ethiopian woman." She blurted out.

Jesus nodded. "Rehab was from Jericho. Ruth was from Moab and Bathsheba was a Hittite."

"The Jews?" The Samaritan held up a questioning finger hesitantly pointing at Him.

Jesus nodded. "But the hour comes; and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in… one Spirit, and one Truth. And for this reason; the Father seeks out such to worship Him." He continued with a contented smile. "God is Spirit and they that worship Him find themselves compelled to do so in one Spirit and one Truth."

The woman let out a sigh in another moment of contemplation.

"I know the Messiah comes which is called the Christ." She said. "When he arrives, he will tell us all things."

"I Am. Speaks to you."

The efforts of Arch-angel Michael to control his mirth caught Jesus's attention. Jesus looked up. There in the path behind the woman stood a gaggle of bewildered disciples all standing around; looking…. stupid. Jesus cracked a giggle Himself.

The woman turned around.

"Ehh…" She held up a finger to Jesus. "I'll be right back." She said as she hurried off, neglecting her forgotten pail by the well. She ran by Peter and gave the broken container one last kick for good measure. Peter turned to John and shrugged; but John just started laughing.

Jesus sucked in a deep breath and stood up, ready to face the bewildered brood.

"Ethiopia, Persia, Babylon." Michael nodded in understanding. "Clear lives matter."

"Yes." His Lord answered. "Clear lives matter!"

* * *

_For there is no respect of persons with God. _

_Romans 2:11_


	12. It's the End of the World as we Know It!

Here's a totally random parody song of REM's; that... "someone" found poking around in the Vault of History. Now grab your karaoke machines and see if you can actually sing it!

* * *

**It's the End of the World as we Know It.**

That's great it starts with an earthquake,

a girl, a snake and narrow blame.

The universe is not the same.

Eye of a hurricane. Listen to the sea churn.

Guy builds a big boat. They all say it won't float.

Speed it up a notch. Incoming big rock.

The ladder starts to clatter, with fear insane.

Tyre fills with mire, as it starts to rain.

And the dinosaurs expire, all drowning in the plain.

Left of west it's coming in a hurry with a furry,

breathing down your neck.

Hear a plea, die on a tree.

Lamb is the price. Look to the sacrifice.

Time when? Uh oh, overflow population sin atone;

but it'll come the day is shown; Christ be known.

World serves its own needs. Listen to your heart bleed.

Dummy with the rapture, and the Rebbie and the right.

Right?

You hypocritic, patriotic, damned, no light.

You feeling pretty psyched?

_**It's the end of the world as we know it.**_

_**It's the end of the world as we know it.**_

_**It's the end of the world as we know it; and I feel fine.**_

Six o'clock fake news hour, don't get caught in twin towers.

Crash and burn, spy's eye; listen to the feds lie.

Drain the swamp. Lock 'em up. Pizza gate. Tech corrupt,

Every evil escalate. Build the temple. Mashiach late!

Light a candle. Cure some Covid.

Step down, step down.

Watch your head crush crush.

Uh oh. Guantanamo, Evergreen, Renegade, and DOJ

A bio lab, a pandemic, a tournament of lies.

Offer earthly justice; offer globalism and I decline.

_**It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)**_

_**It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)**_

_**It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)**_

_**I feel fine (I feel fine)**_


End file.
